We are calling for action to be taken to address the difficulties experienced by learner drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic and we're hoping to get the message out to as many people as possible on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. Feel free to share this petition with family members, friends and anyone who is facing similar problems in these challenging times. Make sure to confirm your email after signing to ensure that your signature counts towards the tally (check spam and promotions inboxes). Many thanks for any support!

Closure of Driving Test Centres - The Story So Far

Driving test centres first closed in Ireland on 13th March 2020 and thousands of learner drivers have been denied the opportunity to sit their tests since. On the 17th May 2020, the Minister for Transport Shane Ross announced on RTE Radio 1 that he would not allow for a relaxation of the accompanied driver rules while reiterating that driving tests centres would remain closed indefinitely. This is despite the fact that approximately 27,000 learner drivers are waiting for tests at present with thousands of new applications being processed each month.

The backlogs for driving tests in Ireland were notoriously bad in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, yet there has been no clarity from the RSA or Department of Transport on how they aim to address the ongoing delays. It is estimated that there are more than 240,000 learner drivers in Ireland at present with a large number being essential workers.

Every driver in Ireland has an individual story of the stress and difficulty they experienced when learning to drive. The costs of learning to drive are more extortionate than ever, with first-time drivers having to spend significant sums of money on insurance and lessons. However, in recent months the cars of learner drivers nationwide have been rendered useless due to social distancing measures. The time and money spent practicing has been wasted and there has been a lack of clarity on when tests will resume. Essential workers have had their difficulties intensified due to the inability to travel to work.

The RSA showcased the hardships experienced by learner drivers in the recent show 'The Test' on RTE, yet the mental health of learner drivers and necessity for people to travel to work has not been taken into consideration. In times of economic hardship, learner drivers are faced with the decision to either break the law and drive unaccompanied to work or lose employment. Additionally, the stress for all drivers completing their tests in the future will be increased as failing to pass the test first time around will add to the already substantial waiting times.

Individual Cases

Here are some individual stories from learner drivers that volunteered to share their experiences. They have been unable to sit their driving test in recent months and it is clear to see how the delays have negatively affected their day-to-day lives:

Case 1: "I am a full-time carer to my son that was due to sit my test in April but due to covid it was cancelled. As I rely heavily on my car I called the RSA to ask for an emergency test but was told no as I do not drive an ambulance or fire engine. My insurance is up in June and I will still be considered as a learner driver even though I could've done two tests by now! I have no accompanying driver to sit with me as they do not live in my house and for social distancing reasons. My husband does not drive and is cocooning due to having chrons disease. I rely heavily on my car for my son as he has special needs,oral and sensory issues and is asthmatic! With all that is going on especially out of his routine his anxiety is through the roof! The car is a blessing as eases him but I risk my car being seized if I were to go driving! I am also 6 months pregnant and public transport is out of the question as my husband is cocooning. I need to get to my appointments safely and as much minimal contact with others as possible ! This is all so stressful and I need my car to get medical and food supplies, and also to hospital appointments and out with my son ! He cannot cope being in the house ! I have paid thousands already to get car,lessons,tax,insurance,nct and the test ,I can't afford anymore!!!

Case 2: "As a supermarket worker I am in daily contact with the public. I work different shifts. I work for less than the covid payment. I could claim I've no transport, because there is none! I could stay at home and chill. I could walk the hour and a half to and from work. I could ride a bike either and would love to be able. But it's the wheelchair you see, it's my wheels! It also likes me a lot. Iv had my driving test cancelled twice. So here I am stuck to me mammy driving with me and as iv an adapted vehicle she hates it! But then Mr. Covid could take a liking to her too which would troublesome because she had cancer you see. My case isn't unique either. Get up the yard Minister and think outside the box. You know what cocooning is like right? Well my job is the opposite to that feeling. It's my life, my sanity and my only outlet at the minute. I don't need sympathy I need to drive to work. Let me."

Case 3:  "I'm a psychiatric nurse in the community. Never needed to drive up to 3 years ago, when I got this job. Now I'm driving to house visits and clinics in various places. At first I was walking and busing it. Two years ago I bought a house. I've no public transport. I had a good set up of lifts and a lot of walking. Then I spent all last year learning to drive and my new car now sits in the drive. I am not able mentally to break the rules and risk driving it alone. A few times I've had to call my mother when there was an emergency. I'm one of the learner drivers that's waiting on my test. How sorry am I that I didn't learn to drive when I was half my age! I just need to be able to do my job and being able to drive now would relieve me if huge pressure and unnecessary stress. Minister for Transport seems to think all learner's are young people as in 17 or 18. Minister I am in my mid-thirties and I am insulted by your assertion that learner's will cause more deaths. Full drivers are ex Learners! How many accidents did full drivers cause compared to learners? From any Google searches I have done it is very obvious that learner's are very much in the minority. Why are learners being bashed all the time? In some parts of the country, there's no Dart, Luas, buses and even not a lot of taxis and this is not being recognised. Sorry for the rant but I'm in limbo and I'm getting angry that no one in power is looking at this. Thanks!"

Case 4: "I am a male critical illness nurse. I work in a highly dangerous environment. I live in the country, over 15km from the hospital. I have been tested twice for covid. I love my job. My neighbour works in my hospital in admin. She has a family. She was my accompanying driver. We have no bus route. We have no train. We do have expensive insurance, a few years experience driving between use but we both being forced off the road! My insurance is due for renewal in June. I will still be a learner driver when I renew it when I should be a full licenced driver, even if I had failed first test I would have done it again by now. We are going to be practicing social distancing for many months into the future. I am really at the end of my tether. Driving with my colleague from the same ward is causing stress to him and me. He then walks 3kms home in order to help me! We are rarely on at the same time. I would really like to not be afraid driving alone. Could you remove that rule so I can be allowed to drive to work? I would sit a test in the morning and be confident that I would pass it. Thank you."

Case 5: "I work as a home carer. I have no accompanying driver. I drive alone. Daily I drive upwards of 30kms from home to my final client in any day. My clients are all elderly living alone in a very rural area. Most of them have no family callers. I am their only contact with the outside world bar the postman. There are days I leave crying because they need me to stay, they are lonely. I could stop working and claim my job is gone because I have no way of driving. But my conscience would not let me, eventhough the covid payment about equals my weekly income. My work is more than work it's my vocation. My accompanying driver has diabetes. I was waiting 5 weeks for a test. Please let me either drive unaccompanied or give me a temporary licence to drive until you give me a test. My instructor can attest to my driving skills having been with me for my EDT. My dad was my sponsored driver for my driving experience. I need this to be sorted as social distancing is continuing in stage 5 of the Road Map and as Minister Ross said on Sunday he does not see testing coming back due to social distancing rules."

Proposed Solutions

There have been plenty of good suggestions provided to Minister Shane Ross, but the Department's continued ambivalence towards addressing the difficulties experienced by learner drivers is startling. In terms of what could be done to rectify the difficulties experienced by learner drivers, here are some of the suggested solutions:

1)      Provide a temporary amnesty license to learner drivers that have completed 12 EDT lessons and have been denied the opportunity to take their test. This could be provided on the condition that learner drivers granted a temporary full license must complete their test at a later date once tests resume and the backlog is reduced.

2)      Temporarily relax the rules on learner drivers having to be accompanied by a fully licensed driver. Again, this could be provided to drivers that have completed 12 EDT lessons and had their tests cancelled due to COVID-19.

3)      Make a substantial change to how the driving test itself takes place. Motorcycle tests involve the tester following the learner driver and relaying instructions via headset and this could be introduced for car tests. Technology has been succesfully implemented in driving tests in other European countries. The theory elements of the test could be completed using a projector. Otherwise, certain protocols could be followed to maximise the safety of a test such as the use of PPE equipment, checking the driver's temperature prior to the test or the tester sitting in the left rear passenger seat. Afterall, taxis are still operating nationwide and such precautions are not taken.

A Call for Change

The refusal of the RSA and Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to recognise learner drivers has gone on long enough, and now is the time for change. Feel free to use this petition to outline your experiences when learning to drive and why you think change is needed.

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